Sir Wilkes' Birthday Present
by RevSue
Summary: Eloise enlists Nanny's help to celebrate Sir Wilkes' birthday.


Title: Sir Wilkes' Birthday Present

Rating: T (for tame)

Category: Humour (this IS Eloise!)_ ... _touch of Romance ....

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters since the Eloise movies and the characters are the property of Disney and Kay Thompson. I make no money from this work of fiction!_

"NAAAAAAAAAANY!"

Eloise's characteristic morning call jolted Nanny from her sleep. She jerked upright in her bed then stumbled out of her bed into her slippers, and, pulling on her dressing gown, she staggered bleary-eyed into the living room. Eloise was hanging upside down over the back of a chair, already speaking to room service on the telephone. Nanny waved her hand and tried to speak, but only an unintelligible grunt emerged. Eloise, however, interpreted the noise correctly and added quickly, "...and some rawther hot coffee. Top floor, and charge it, please! Thank you very much!" The little girl hung up the phone, spun around to sit upright on the chair, and stared at Nanny fixedly.

Nanny tried to keep her eyes open. "What?" she asked at last, when it appeared that Eloise was not going to say anything more until she herself did.

"Are you and Sir Wilkes going to EVER have another date?" was Eloise's earnest question.

"Eloise, that is rude, rude, rude!" Nanny spluttered, flushing deeply, feeling physically jolted as much as when Eloise had called her earlier and awoken her from a deep slumber. WHY was the little girl talking about ... about HIM ... so early in the morning?

"How about inviting him over tonight to watch a movie on television again?" Eloise ignored Nanny's obvious embarrassment and disinclination to discuss the subject of Sir Wilkes.

"I don't even know what is on the telly," prevaricated Nanny, shaking her head and yawning again, hoping that Eloise would drop the subject. She should have known better.

"I don't think he cares. He just likes sitting beside you on the couch." Eloise spoke seriously.

"Oh, my stars, stars, stars!" Nanny shook her head hard one more time, hoping she would wake up and find the entire conversation had been a bad dream. She tried to change the subject. "Now, Eloise, today we MUST begin ...."

"NANNY!" Eloise almost shouted, interrupting the lecture. "You HAVE to invite Sir Wilkes over tonight!"

"I don't have to do any such thing," Nanny retorted. She could be as stubborn as Eloise, if necessary, and sometimes it WAS necessary!

"But Nanny ... it's his BIRTHDAY!" Eloise burst out. Nanny stared at her open-mouthed. Eloise sighed, then pouted. "I didn't want to tell you. He doesn't know I heard him telling Mr. Salamone yesterday."

"Well, why didn't you say something sooner? We should have ordered a cake ..." Nanny fretted. Suddenly it seemed more important to celebrate the birthday as Eloise believed a birthday SHOULD be celebrated! Nanny tried to pretend that she wanted to do this just for Eloise, not so much for Sir Wilkes. Her heart fluttered, though, at the thought of the distinguished gentleman who lived on their floor and who had been making her heart flutter ever since he had moved in to the Plaza a few years previously.

"I did order a cake."

Eloise's offhand answer brought Nanny out of her reverie and the older woman smiled crookedly. "That's all right then. Yes, birthdays should, should, SHOULD be celebrated. But how do you know Sir Wilkes is not busy tonight? I mean, a man like him ..."

"I asked him last week if he was doing anything important this week in the evenings because we might need him to come over sometime, and he said no, he was completely free. So it HAS to be tonight, now that I've found out it's his birthday. We could have him come for supper first, couldn't we? Or no, let's invite him out to the Rose Room for supper! I absolutely love the Rose Room!"

"Eloise, that's too, too, too grand for the likes of us."

"But not for Sir Wilkes," Eloise said slyly. "Of course," she added artlessly, "you wouldn't be able to have a very private conversation there, so maybe here in our rooms WOULD be better."

"I'll make the reservation right away!" Nanny was galvanized into action. The thought of trying to eat 'privately' with Sir Wilkes was enough to put her off her feed for a week, and she hadn't even had coffee yet today!

"Better call Sir Wilkes, first," Eloise said, practically. "He might be going out soon. He usually does, you know. In fact ..." She danced over to the doors and flung them wide, then looked back at Nanny and beckoned wildly. "Here he comes now!" she whispered loudly. "Hurry, Nanny, you absolutely have to get over here right away! Hurry, hurry, HURRY!"

Nanny gasped and clutched her dressing gown together, then tried frantically to smooth down the wisps of hair which had escaped her night braid. As her eyes met Sir Wilkes, who had stopped short in the doorway at Eloise's command, she swallowed hard and clutched her gown together again, wishing that she could appear poised and elegant first thing in the morning. Even as that thought crossed her mind, she had to admit wryly that she NEVER appeared poised and elegant at any time of the day, especially on such short notice and in front of Sir Wilkes!

"Nanny," he gravely acknowledged her presence, lifting his hat and bowing slightly. He turned and did the same to the little girl. "Eloise."

"Ask him, Nanny!" Eloise hissed.

Sir Wilkes lips twitched, and he looked from Eloise to Nanny expectantly.

"S - S - Sir Wilkes!" Nanny managed to get out at last. "Would ... would you do us the honour of ... of ... of dining with us this evening ... in the Rose Room?"

He hesitated for a moment, and Nanny's heart sank. Then he smiled. "I would be delighted. A special occasion?"

Nanny shot a glance at Eloise who was studying the ceiling, her lips pursed. "Just ... well ..." Nanny felt murderous as she stammered to find an answer to Sir Wilkes' question. She wished she had at least had a chance to have some coffee to help her think!

"We were thinking supper and maybe coming back here to watch that new movie on television." Eloise said suddenly. "You and Nanny can have some wine again ..."

"I can't think of anything I'd rather do this evening," Sir Wilkes spoke graciously, his warm brown eyes on Nanny's flushed face.

Just then Bill arrived with Eloise's room service order, and Sir Wilkes bowed again in his very courtly style and departed. Nanny gratefully accepted the coffee Bill poured for her.

"Thank you so much, William," she said, cupping it in her hands and sniffing it with her eyes closed before sipping the hot liquid.

Bill and Eloise were over at the table where Bill was setting out the breakfast. Nanny overheard Eloise whisper, "Nanny and Sir Wilkes have another date tonight, Bill! I TOLD you she likes him!"

Now that she had had a shot of caffeine and that Sir Wilkes was no longer in the vicinity, Nanny felt more herself. She spoke briskly as she crossed to the table. "Aoww, it is not a DATE, Eloise! You and I are meeting him for supper downstairs. If anything, I suppose Sir Wilkes has a date with YOU, since you are the one who invited him."

"Wow," Eloise's eyes were round. "My first date, and I'm only SIX!" Then she giggled. After drinking her orange juice and taking her first mouthful of oatmeal, screwing up her face as she did so, the little girl dropped her spoon and asked, "Bill, what should Nanny give Sir Wilkes tonight for a birthday present?"

"A birthday present? It's his birthday?" Bill asked, his eyebrows raised. "Hmm, that DOES call for a present, I'd say!"

Nanny protested that she was not going to give Sir Wilkes anything, but neither Bill nor Eloise were paying any attention to her.

"It can't be anything too personal, you know, but it can't be boring, either!" Eloise said. "No clothes or anything like that."

"A book?" suggested Bill.

"Maybe." Eloise considered the suggestion with a dubious expression on her face, then she sighed. "It would be a whole lot easier if he was a girl and Nanny was a boy. Then she could give him roses. She says they're the flowers to give when you're wooing someone. Roses are très élégantes, you know!"

"So Nanny is wooing Sir Wilkes now?" Bill's lips were twitching. "Perhaps she should give him some chocolate. That's another usual gift to someone you like, you know. Everyone loves chocolate."

"Oh, YES, Bill! I absolutely love, love, LOVE chocolate fudge!" squealed Eloise excitedly.

Nanny stalked away to her room to dress, no longer willing to listen to such nonsense, and infuriated that the other two were not listening to her vociferous protests. After the harrowing day she had had while vainly searching for a Christmas present for Sir Wilkes, she had no intentions of wracking her brain to think of a BIRTHDAY present for him the end of February, for Lord's sake!

Later that afternoon, although she had not gone shopping for a birthday present but after having given in to Eloise's insistence on decorating their suite with streamers and balloons for Sir Wilkes' birthday, Nanny also found herself giving in to the little girl's demand that she wear her light blue dress. "The one you wore when you met him for tea that time in the Palm Court." Eloise said. "I bet he thought you looked absolutely divine in blue. It makes your eyes seem REALLY blue!"

Nanny hadn't even realized Eloise had ever noticed the colour of her eyes, but she now remembered her mixed emotions during that ill-fated tea. "Speaking of which, Eloise, I never DID have a chance to scold you for sending that message to me and pretending Sir Wilkes had invited me! Who did you get to write it, for Lord's sake? I'd know YOUR printing anywhere!" Nanny looked severely at the small blond girl.

Eloise pretended not to hear the question. She rummaged through Nanny's closet and emerged triumphantly with the dress. Nanny was rawther fond of that dress herself, thinking the deep v-neck with the sheer overlay and wide lapels was more flattering than most of her dresses or blouses. She remembered how her eyes had met Sir Wilkes' occasionally during that rawther uncomfortable tea, and how his brown eyes had danced with suppressed laughter at Mrs. Daniels' monotone and then had been filled with thoughtfulness and agreement when Nanny had spoken of listening to the other person's heart ... not to mention how those same lovely brown eyes had shone with obviously sincere regret when Mrs. Daniels had left without her purse and Nanny had handed it to him with the hesitant comment that perhaps he should return it to the woman. Was it at all possible that if she had noticed the colour of HIS eyes, he might have noticed the colour of HERS?

Not protesting any further, Nanny dressed in the light blue, and smiled as Eloise, dressed in her pretty pink dress from Paris, preened in front of the mirror. After directing Eloise to tidy her hair, Nanny twisted her own hair carefully into its bun, laughing when Eloise suggested leaving it down to 'flow elegantly over her shoulders'.

"That's simply not done at my age, Eloise," she said. "I'm too, too, too old to leave my hair down." Her fingers deftly pushed the hairpins into place, and she nodded. "There. And we're ready early."

"Let's have something to drink here first!" Eloise suggested and whirled away to the telephone before Nanny could stop her.

"Yes, Eloise?" Nanny could hear Room Service as she hurried after her charge.

"Hello, this is me, Eloise. Would you send up two glasses of red wine and a soda? Top floor and charge it, please! Thank you very much!" Just as Nanny reached for the telephone receiver, Eloise hung up even while the man from Room Service was stuttering.

"Eloise!" Nanny remonstrated. "You know you are not, not, NOT allowed to order wine!"

"Don't you want any?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I suppose ..." When the phone rang a moment later, she answered it. "Yes, yes, yes, the wine is for me. Yes, please, two glasses. Never mind why I want two!" and she hung up herself, feeling rawther cross at the impertinent question.

When Sir Wilkes came to meet them, Bill had just delivered the drinks. He shook Sir Wilkes' hand, heartily wishing him a very Happy Birthday.

Sir Wilkes reddened a little. "Thank you very much. I, er, how did you know?"

"Eloise told us." Bill said, grinning at the little girl.

"I always say what's on my mind." Eloise commented.

"I know. So," Bill turned back to Sir Wilkes. "If it's not too impertinent, may I ask if it's a significant birthday?"

"No. No, that won't be for a few years yet. I'm only sixty-one this year," Sir Wilkes mumbled.

Nanny swallowed hard when she heard that. Why, the man was seven years younger than she was! Resolving to get over her unwanted feelings for him if it killed her, she determinedly handed Sir Wilkes his wine, raised her own glass and said briefly, "Cheers, Sir Wilkes, and many happy returns of the day!"

Eloise clinked glasses with them, then stared curiously at Sir Wilkes. "Are you REALLY younger than Nanny? You don't look it."

Nanny cleared her throat warningly, and Eloise smiled widely at her, saying "I'm sorry, Nanny," before turning to Sir Wilkes and adding confidingly, "I'm not supposed to say that Nanny is going to be 69 on her next birthday. But she is. Imagine! She doesn't look almost seventy, does she?"

Sir Wilkes' wine shook in his hand, almost spilling out of the glass, and when Nanny stole a glance at him, she realized he was trying valiantly not to laugh. The obvious strain of his efforts made her begin to giggle inwardly, and soon she, too, was having trouble keeping her wine glass upright. Eloise didn't seem to notice their amusement.

"I'm going to be seven on my next birthday," she announced. "But I'm six, now. Isn't it something to think we all have a six in our age?"

"That is ... remarkable," Sir Wilkes managed to say, his face slowly purpling with his suppressed laughter.

"Why don't we sit down?" Eloise suggested. "You two look like you might be going to spill your drinks or something."

In moments, Nanny found herself perched on one end of the love seat while Sir Wilkes sat primly on the other end. Eloise squatted on the rug in front of them, her soda set carefully on the floor by her side. Sir Wilkes' gaze had travelled around the gaily-bedecked room, then he had smiled at Eloise and thanked her for her efforts to give him a 'real' birthday, something he hadn't had since he had been a lad in England. Now the girl was chattering about how much fun it was to blow up balloons and put up streamers for a BIRTHDAY, and how, if someone liked someone particularly, they would make the effort to do something special for a BIRTHDAY and find an absolutely divine present for a BIRTHDAY ... but Nanny hadn't been able to find time to go shopping, so Eloise hoped Sir Wilkes would still be able to enjoy his BIRTHDAY, even without a real present!

Sir Wilkes and Nanny glanced at each other, then away again quickly, both feeling laughter beginning to bubble up once more. Eloise switched topics glibly. "You know, I've noticed that usually, if someone likes someone really a lot, you know, like Rachel and Bill, they'd be sitting close together and holding hands a lot, and making up reasons to see each other, and maybe blushing when the other was near, and breathing all funny like they were sick, and probably nervous about things ... Have you ever done that with anyone, Sir Wilkes?"

At that point, Nanny almost spilled her wine. She quickly gulped the rest of the liquid, coughed a little at the burning sensation in her throat, put the glass down on the table beside her, and changed the subject. "Don't you think we should be heading down for dinner?"

"I'm ready!" Eloise bounced up, and knocked over her soda, which necessitated a towel and some mopping up.

Finishing his wine while watching Nanny clean the rug as best she could under Eloise's oversight, Sir Wilkes absently petted Weenie. Eloise, when she finished, noticed the direction of his gaze and grinned at him as Nanny headed for the bathroom with the wet towel. "Nanny looks rawther nice in that dress, doesn't she?" the little girl piped up. "That's why you're watching her all the time, isn't it?"

Nanny turned her head quickly to see Sir Wilkes redden and avert his eyes from her while he mumbled something to Eloise. Yes, Nanny thought grimly as she hurried into the other room and tossed the towel in the bathtub, she was going to have to have a talk with Eloise about making personal comments! Underneath her discomfort, however, was a warm glow. He had been watching her! Perhaps with admiration? Why else would Eloise have said what she did? Of course, knowing Eloise, she could have said absolutely anything for no reason at all, at all, at all!

They walked silently down the hall to the elevator, Nanny avoiding Sir Wilkes' eyes as they followed an excited Eloise. When the elevator door opened, Eloise bounced in first, talking excitedly to Max about how it was Sir Wilkes' birthday and how, even though he might look old to some people, he was really younger than Nanny. "Of course, Nanny doesn't look too old, either, and if she is with younger people, she'll stay young. That's what Maman says. You're as old as you feel. Sometimes I feel absolutely ancient. Nanny doesn't get a chance, though. She's almost seventy, but if she is with me and Sir Wilkes, we can maybe keep her young."

Max, who had unbent slightly on Christmas Eve, kept his eyes on the wall and said nothing. However, when they got out at the lobby, he unbent enough to say to Sir Wilkes, "May I say happy birthday, Sir Wilkes, and that yes, I DO think you look quite youthful!"

"What about Nanny?" demanded Eloise, her hands on her hips. "Doesn't SHE look young for her age, too?"

Max, however, did not reply. The doors slid shut. Sir Wilkes looked embarrassed, and Nanny groaned inwardly. She really did not need everyone to keep bringing up the age difference between them! Surely a few years ... well, all right, EIGHT years ... wasn't much when it came to this end of their lifetimes! During childhood and adolescence, yes. But surely not as seniors! Of course, she sighed to herself, SHE was a senior and Sir Wilkes wasn't one yet.

Then Nanny jumped as a whirlwind descended upon them. Mrs. Daniels! What was SHE doing here? Mrs. Daniels took possession of Sir Wilkes' arm and began to gush about how very delightful it was to see him again, and JUST when she had arrived! Her gaze flickered over Nanny and Eloise dismissively, then, hanging onto Sir Wilkes, she asked if he had had dinner yet.

"Well, no, not yet," Sir Wilkes began.

"Wonderful! Then please join me, as I have so much to tell you!" Mrs. Daniels propelled the helpless man along.

Eloise, her face mutinous, jumped in front of the two. "WE invited Sir Wilkes for his birthday dinner tonight!" she said.

"Yes, yes, yes, that's right," Sir Wilkes said quickly, trying politely to disengage his arm. "Eloise found out about my birthday today and ..."

"Oh, I see. So ..." Mrs. Daniels looked at Nanny, who smiled crookedly and prompted her, "Nanny", then the rich widow continued, "Nanny is here to look after the child. What a good idea. And how SWEET, for the child to wish to help you celebrate. Well, now that my daughter, you DO remember my daughter, Molly, don't you? From the debutante ball? Well, now that Molly has gone on her world tour, I am rather at loose ends. You were so charming that day when we had tea that I thought I should look you up again. I never DID properly thank you for returning my purse, did I? And now I find you here with NANNY again!" Her laughter rang out as if it was the funniest thing she had ever seen. Then she smiled condescendingly at Nanny, "And, my dear, please don't tell me that Nanny is your real name! It DOES remind one of a goat, doesn't it? But of course, you ARE the child's nanny, aren't you? I DID find it strange that everyone in the hotel would refer to you as Nanny, though, as if it WERE your real name ... Ah, well," and she promptly turned back to Sir Wilkes and ignored the other two.

Mrs. Daniels continued to prattle all the way to the Rose Room, hanging on to Sir Wilkes' arm and plastered to his side. The poor man was red-faced and silent. Nanny considered stopping and leaving him to his fate, but even as she hesitated, Eloise tugged her skirt and Sir Wilkes managed to shoot an imploring glance at her which she hoped meant he wanted her to stay with them. Remembering his rawther desperate grasp on her arm that time of the infamous 'tea', Nanny decided she would stay for a while longer. In a way, however, despite the jealousy flaring up in Nanny when she eyed Mrs. Daniels, Nanny was rawther tempted to let the avaricious woman HAVE Sir Wilkes. After he, he WAS a knight, for Lord's sake! Mrs. Daniels was younger than Nanny, a much more fitting companion for a knight! Still, Nanny was feeling a little balky, and Eloise was continuing to look sulky when they arrived at the doors of the Rose Room.

Thomas, the maître d'hôtel, met them at the door. Mrs. Daniels peremptorily ordered a 'proper' table for them, saying that she HAD originally just reserved for two, but .... Thomas winked at Nanny and took the four of them to a table with two chairs on each side, holding out a chair for Mrs. Daniels to be seated. Sir Wilkes made a motion to Eloise to sit beside the widow, and she grumpily obeyed, much to Nanny's surprise. He smiled politely at Mrs. Daniels, saying that with Eloise BESIDE her, HE was free to sit ACROSS from her, so as to better be able to converse with her.

Eloise's face darkened imperceptibly and Nanny's heart plummeted. He was going to spend the entire dinner conversing with Mrs. Daniels? Sir Wilkes held out the chair opposite Eloise for Nanny, and smiled briefly at her before looking away quickly. Nanny found the situation hard to swallow as Mrs. Daniels continued prattling non-stop about Molly's trip to Europe, the prince, the debutante ball, her late husband's assets .... she found herself in much the same state of mind as at the tea, half-asleep with boredom from the woman's droning voice.

Suddenly Nanny realized that Mrs. Daniels was talking about HER, saying archly to Sir Wilkes that she thought it wonderful that a much older woman such as Nanny would look after such an ... ACTIVE ... child, and how very amazing it really was that someone of Nanny's obvious age should still be so useful. Such a shame, of course, that dealing continuously with children tended to stultify seniors, and it was next to impossible for any other relationship with someone their OWN age to develop. Sir Wilkes said nothing to defend Nanny, and since Mrs. Daniels wasn't speaking directly to her, Nanny wasn't sure it was her place to defend herself. She began to feel more and more as if she should completely forget about Sir Wilkes. After all, he WAS much younger than herself. People in his class, people such as Mrs. Daniels, would be sure to comment on the May/December relationship and possibly even say she was 'robbing the cradle' which was a load of absolute rubbish as far as Nanny was concerned!

While sitting with her eyes half-closed, Nanny felt a faint touch on her knee under cover of the tablecloth. At first she assumed it was her imagination, but another, firmer touch came. Her next thought was that it was a mistake. Sir Wilkes couldn't possibly be ... Then his hand rested solidly on her knee and squeezed gently. Oh, my Lord, he WAS!

Sliding her own hand under the table, Nanny jumped when Sir Wilkes' hand covered hers possessively. She tried surreptitiously to tug away, but to no avail. She shot a glance at him, but he was blandly gazing at Mrs. Daniels, his eyes glazed over. His thumb stroked Nanny's skin gently, smoothing over the back of her hand, then gliding over her palm. His fingers laced with hers, and he sent tiny streaks of heat shooting up her arm by delicately pinching the skin between each finger. Nanny's entire body trembled as she struggled to remain upright in her chair when she felt like melting into a puddle at his feet. Feeling a little embarrassed but nonetheless pleased by the attention, Nanny no longer worried about Mrs. Daniels who was continuing to babble, unaware of the suggestive movements underneath the cover of the table.

Nanny, not wishing to have her hand released and the sensual caresses stopped, rawther awkwardly picked up her glass with her left hand and drained her ice water, finding the heat had suddenly shot up in the room. When had Sir Wilkes become so bold as to touch her in such a familiar manner? Well, she didn't care. She was thoroughly enjoying it, and intended to make the most of the evening! She and Sir Wilkes continued to play with the other's hand under the tablecloth until their meal came. It seemed that being out of sight was much easier to accept for both of them than exposing their secrets for other people to see. When she glanced quickly at Sir Wilkes to find him looking at her briefly, they smiled shyly at each other before dropping their eyes again.

At last the seemingly interminable supper was over. Nanny suddenly rose in the middle of one of Mrs. Daniels' monologues, and announced that it was time for Eloise to go to bed, bed, bed! Sir Wilkes rose instantly, too, and before Mrs. Daniels could comment, he said that as he had come down with the two, he would return with them, as it was the only courteous thing to do! He bowed to a rather stunned Mrs. Daniels and ushered Nanny and Eloise out of the restaurant.

When Nanny opened the door to their suite, she turned to Sir Wilkes to thank him for coming with them, but Eloise darted past her, saying they should all have a nightcap. Before the adults could stop her, the child had ordered two more glasses of red wine, another soda and the birthday cake from room service.

"Eloise! That is wrong, wrong, WRONG! You should NOT order wine!" Nanny cried, following her into the suite. Sir Wilkes trailed behind. When the phone rang again immediately, Nanny answered almost automatically. "Yes, yes, yes, Bill, the wine is for me and Sir Wilkes." She hung up the phone distractedly.

Sir Wilkes, shuffling his feet, peeked at her bashfully. Nanny swallowed. What could she say? Eloise turned on the television, plopped down in the middle of the couch, and patted the cushion on either side of her. "Have a seat!" she said, cheerily, and she reached for a box of fudge and offered it to both 'as dessert until the cake comes'. When they sat down, Eloise took over Mrs. Daniels' task of maintaining the conversation. "I was SO bored when all Mrs. Daniels did was talk, talk, talk!" she started. "Weren't you, Nanny? Even YOU didn't look too interested, Sir Wilkes, even though you were the one she was talking to. But anyway, did you enjoy your birthday supper? Not that you could, with that ... that SHARK talking all the time! Why do you think some people are like that? Not that you're not really nice, Sir Wilkes, I mean, that's why we wanted to go on a date with you," she added hastily, ignoring Nanny's faint groan of consternation, "but that was a pretty awful time I had. If that's what all dates are like, I don't want to EVER go on one again! She wasn't very nice to you, was she, Nanny? She must really like you, Sir Wilkes, and she was probably mad that Nanny and I were with you."

Both Nanny and Sir Wilkes began to colour, unable to look at each other, embarrassed by Eloise's chattering. The doorbell rang at that moment, and Eloise jumped up to get the door. She put the fudge down between the two on the couch and both Nanny and Sir Wilkes reached for it at the same time. Their hands collided and they both drew back quickly, darting shy glances at each other. Under the table, hidden by the tablecloth, they could freely touch, but not here on the couch with Eloise's keen sight and eagerness to learn more about everything.

Bill brought in the wine, soda and cake and set them on the table. Nanny and Sir Wilkes stood up and moved to the table, thanking Bill when he turned to go. Nanny and Eloise sang happy birthday to a blushing Sir Wilkes, then he blew out the lone candle on the small cake.

Cutting a generous slice for Sir Wilkes, Nanny passed it to him, then gave Eloise a smaller one and took the smallest for herself. "Once again, Sir Wilkes, I am rawther sorry we did not get you a gift. However ..." Still standing, she picked up her wine and held it up in the air. "To Sir Wilkes and a very happy, happy, happy birthday!" she toasted him again.

The three of them clinked glasses, then, just as Nanny and Sir Wilkes were sipping their wine, Eloise asked, "What's a young stud?"

Sir Wilkes inhaled his wine and choked, Nanny's gasp caused her to spit her mouthful out, then she covered her mouth in horror. Neither could say a word, they just coughed. Eloise grimaced. "Sorry, but I heard that new room service man saying something just before I hung up. I think he was talking to someone else. He said, 'Yes, Nanny, go, go, go! Get yourself a young stud and have fun, fun, fun!' So what's a young stud and how would you have fun with one?"

Nanny dropped her wine glass out of suddenly nerveless fingers, and the glass shattered on the edge of the table, sending wine and glass shards over Sir Wilkes's jacket and shirt. He, in turn, jumped back in reaction, spilling his own wine down his front. For a moment, there was complete silence.

"Oh oh." Eloise said quietly. "I think I'll get ready for bed now, Nanny," and she quickly and prudently disappeared.

Nanny, all flurried and apologetic and determined to ignore the rude, rude, RUDE comment Eloise had repeated, had grabbed up some napkins and was trying to ineffectually wipe the wine off Sir Wilkes. He said nothing, just stood still and let her do it. She tsked under her breath and ordered him to take off his jacket, which he silently did.

In moments, Eloise came out in her pyjamas to say goodnight. Ignoring the wet napkins Nanny was still holding to Sir Wilkes' chest, Eloise gave Nanny a big hug and a kiss. Then she did the same to Sir Wilkes when he bent down to her rather stiffly. The little girl grimaced at his wet shirt, and told him he was likely to catch a cold if he didn't get it off and put a dry one on. Looking earnestly at Sir Wilkes, Eloise said solemnly, "Did you know, Sir Wilkes, that Nanny said that if a boy is going to properly woo a girl, he has to give her flowers, preferably ROSES, and maybe some chocolates? I think it's rawther exciting to watch two people woo each other. Of course," she grinned at them both, "the only REAL way to tell if someone likes you is if they're willing to let you KISS them, right? Well, gotta skitter! Good night!" and she was gone.

Horribly embarrassed by Eloise's words, Nanny turned to Sir Wilkes and said abruptly, "I'll go tuck Eloise in. For Lord's sake, Sir Wilkes, you MUST get out of that wet shirt!"

She was about to follow Eloise out of the room, when Sir Wilkes caught her arm. "Wait, Nanny! Don't run away. I'll take it off, since you ask so nicely." She could hear the chuckle in his voice, but his face was still quite red and he didn't look at her while he unbuttoned his shirt.

When Sir Wilkes took his shirt off, Nanny's mouth went dry and her heart started fluttering madly at the sight of his bare chest. "Oh, knickers!" she muttered to herself, forgetting Eloise entirely and completely unable to tear her eyes away from the man she had secretly admired for months. She clenched her hands into fists in order not to reach out to touch him and run her fingers through the gray hair that dusted his chest. He was in VERY fine shape for his age, she reflected, almost drooling at the view.

Sir Wilkes, his face even redder at his forwardness in partially stripping in front of a woman, yet showing determination mingled with trepidation, stammered that perhaps he should go to his own room to fetch another shirt.

"Why?" Nanny asked, without stopping to think. "I am loving looking at you!"

Sir Wilkes' ruddy face reddened even more, but he smiled shyly. Nanny closed her eyes in despair. Had she really said that out loud? For Lord's sake, she was acting like a brazen hussy!

"Eloise is right, you know," Sir Wilkes said, at last, his voice surprisingly husky.

"Right?" Nanny was puzzled. She opened her eyes to stare at him, trying not to let her gaze wander down to his chest.

"Saying the only real way to tell if someone likes you is if you are allowed to kiss her. Tell me, Nanny ... do you like me?" Not waiting for her answer, he took her face between his hands and brought his mouth down gently on her shocked lips.

Without warning although meant to be a simple kiss between friends, desire sparked hot fires in both of them. The kiss grew hungry, demanding and intimate. It was like falling, Nanny thought vaguely, matching his passion with her own. It was as though he was drawing the very breath from her body! Every single dream of her adult life seemed to come true at his touch. Years of dreaming of this, years of waiting and hoping ... and it was actually happening. She held on to his arms tightly to keep from falling down, and responded to him enthusiastically if not with a great deal of expertise.

At last Sir Wilkes drew back unsteadily. "Now THAT," he commented shakily, "was what I call a birthday present! Thank you, Nanny! A definite improvement on the Christmas kiss, wouldn't you say?"

She made an inarticulate sound in her throat, still dazed, and Sir Wilkes snatched up his stained jacket and shirt. "Good night, Nanny. Sweet dreams. I know you've given me something to dream about." Then he was gone.

The End (of this story....)


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